Today's blogpost is brought to you by my marathon running adorable sister, Megan Vanilla Angela Miller Liston. My mom and dad had a deal that Mom would name the girls and Dad would name the boys. Well, my parents had 6 girls before they had a boy. My Dad gave my brother many of the names he had been saving-Hans Peter Robert. The next child was, you guessed it, another girl. Dad felt he had gotten the naming shaft so took it upon himself to use his creativity and give Megan more than the 2 agreed upon names. I mean, Megan Angela was nice, but what if she had the name Megan Vanilla, as in nutmeg and vanilla? So this beautiful girl received 3 names-2 beautiful and 1 fun. And it suits her perfectly because she is beautiful and fun and strong and determined and does not stop when things get hard or scary.
Because of her, my other beautiful sister, Mary, and I were able to experience the amazing event called, "The Boston Marathon," held on Patriot's Day in the Cradle of Liberty. Let me tell you, it's a big deal. 30,000 of the fastest marathon runners in the world run from Hopkinton to Boyles Street in Boston. The runners can be identified by their Boston Marathon jackets but also their lean physique and the glint in their eye. Everyone in the city was welcoming, asking questions like, is this your first marathon, where are you from, what wave are you in? I mean, no one asked me if this was my first marathon, but they asked my sister. I loved the stories of what each runner did to get there. There were some who earned the opportunity to run by raising money for certain charities- not a little money. I heard $6,000 was required, but the 2 charity runners I met had raised $33,000 and $40,000 respectively. The other runners earned their spots by running a marathon under the qualifying time. This was my little sis, the girl who didn't even start running until after she was 30. The girl who has 5 children and the whatever it takes to get to that place. I'm not sure what it is. I don't have it.
I'll tell you what though, I had nothing but respect as I watched her get ready for the big run. Of course she had trained all year. She did a long run the week before and went off sugar for a while. When she arrived in Boston on Friday she admitted she had a T-band injury and a little cough. We took it easy and just rested and went to the Farmer's Market for fruit and Quincy's market for bagels. Soup was the order of the day. Saturday we all went to the expo so she could get her packet and we could be sold products from vendors targeting the kind of people who would run 26.2 miles. Friday or Saturday night (the days blend) she contracted a fever to go with the cough. It was clear to me there was only one thing to do-skip the race. It just goes to show how little I know about the fire and spirit of a marathon runner who came to get to the finish line. She drank lots of chamomile tea and smart water, went to church, and thought good thoughts. Sunday night, she laid out her running clothes, shoes, bib, tape, headband, sunglasses, water, bandaids and went to sleep. Monday morning off she went to catch the bus to Hopkinton. Mary and I rode the commuter train to Framingham, Wellesley Square and the Finish Line. We watched our brave runner run her 8.30 minute mile on the B.A.A. app 26 times. When we picked her up at the Family meeting area all wrapped in her mylar blanket and totally spent, we were so proud. We got her back to the hotel and she peeled off her socks and shoes. She looked at the bulging blood blister on her little toe and said, I was wondering why that hurt. And that is one of the reasons Megan Vanilla Angela Miller is my hero. The following is her take on the experience:
Recently I had the opportunity of participating in the Boston Marathon. The racing distance was 26.2 miles. That can definitely feel like a lifelong experience. It was hot, There were unwelcome hills, blisters, sore muscles, and feelings of "I'm so over this!" But there were some very important factors that helped me stay on this race even with all of the obstacles and make it to the finish line. It was the volunteers, and spectators supporting, offering aid and cheering us on. There were 26 aid stations with many volunteers offering water, Gatorade, and gel packs. There were other volunteers offering bags of ice and Vaseline. But there were also the amazing spectators. Many people offered food, drink, a hose spraying onto the street, a balloon tunnel, and entertainment to carry us on, such as drummers and even a couple of accordion players. Then there were all the signs held up offering encouragement. They said, "You're stronger than you think," "You Got This," "Keep on Going," "Dig Deep," "You can do this," "Believe," "I like your smile," "All toenails go to heaven," and my personal favorite, "I Love You" (He said these words while holding the sign :)) Some of the spectators encouraged us by calling out "Head up," and "Run Happy." Towards the end of this race is a particularly challenging section called, "Heartbreak Hill." During this leg we were greeted by college students with infectious enthusiasm. They seemed so excited for the chance to cheer us on. If I waved to one of them, they would excitedly look me in the eye and cheer loudly. Many held out their hands hoping for the chance to get a high five.
Each of these spectators/volunteers had their own unique ways of offering their support-some used humor, others inspiring words, their talents, their time. Just like in life, we all have our turns going up "Heartbreak Hill." And we also have the opportunity to be the support and cheer each other on. Thanks, Boston, for showing us how it's done.
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| Megan and Conner Mantz, the Olympic marathon runner |
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